IQ FYI

[catseye]

Hi,

Just thought I'd give you some IQ testing info as an FYI.
There are several full scale IQ tests, The oldest is the Stanford-Binet V. Its normed for kids under 6 and is better suited for testing for Giftedness because it has a higher ceiling. The V is the 5th and newest version.

The most widely used IQ test is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). The WISC IV just came out and is different from the WISC-III, which you may have seen given by schools(and clinical/child or clinical psychologists). There are no longer Verbal IQ's ,or a Performance(non verbal) IQ. Those have been replaced by 4 Domains that are similiar to the Binet.
What is being measured here is also closely aligned( but different) to the Binet.This is good because you can make better comparison's between the two.

What they measure is cyrstalized and fluid thinking.Those refer to school related knowledge and the abilty to solve new problems. One of the very best brief IQ screening tests the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test(K-BIT), also measures those as well.

The Average Range of Intelligence is 90-109, with 100 being dead average with a percentile ranking of 50.This applies for all ages.Also, 50% of the population have scores in that range.
Depending on where you look, the Borderline Range is defined as 71-84 by the DSM-IV(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Assos. This is where the diagnoses come from).
The Weschler Manual defines that same Range as 70-79, with 80- 89 being Low Average.
Here's the most important thing to remember, IQ tests are good for about a year AND there are a range of scores surrounding each IQ sccore that, depending on the age and degree of confidence(either 90 or 95%; meaning the same range of scores would be obtained that many times out of a hundred tests
under same conditions).
What that means is that your kids scores may vary across different administrations of the same test. However, they will rarely bounce outside them.So dont get hung up on the number so much as the Range is more important.
Good luck.Hope that helps some. I've got more info on the WISC-IV if ya'll would like that.Take care.

mctavish23(Robert)


*reposted with permision from robert, thanks robert!!

cat

[swmom]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

I've always wondered if you can IMPROVE a child's IQ.
Does anyone know?

[jdmom]

Jarrett has never had his IQ tested. Is that because he doesn't have any LDs? I've noticed that quite a few of you know your child's IQ, and I was wondering why you went about having it tested. Is this just something that your schools do? Or is it because your child has (or you wondered if they had) a LD, so testing for IQ was part of the testing process? Just curious.

[catseye]

sd has had it tested but I havent a clue what the numbers were... I will check when we do the IEP, though cause I guess I should know it, since she was tested...

Anyway I recall them telling me she was well below normal for her age, thus the PDD (pervasive developement dissorder), and CI (cognitive impaired)... I believe it was used as a testing tool for the school to find out weather sd was "qualified" (according to state regulations) for special education classes (like occupational therapy, speach therapy etc)...

[AnneM]

I also have no idea on numbers or figures but I know my son had his tested and we were told it was "well within normal" ... but as for exact figures I haven't a clue!!

[mctavish23]

Hi again,

There's no one way to test for ADHD.Here-to-fore IQ testing has been and still is part of most battery's by clinical/child psychologists's. School psychologists often don't test for ADHD, but it really depends on the school and the person. This past summer at the conference I attended data were pesented that said " Checklists trump tests." So the Conners Rating Scale is better for prediciting if child is "at risk" for ADHD. Im not sure if that applied to specific neuropsych memory tests or not.

The most common LD test around is the WJ Psychoedbattery.It's been around a long time and is usually given by the LD teacher, but it doesnt have to be. It doesn't give an IQ but does measure the difference between achievement and ability to see if there's a significant enough discrepancy that would then possibly qualify child for LD services.

Now back to IQ tests for a minute. Earlier I mentioned that the WISC-IV just came out and is starting to be used more often. As I said in the earlier post, there's no more Verbal and Performance IQ's like there used to be.There is obviously still a Full Scale IQ. I'll be glad to say more about that if you'd be interested.

I would like to tell a little about what the Wechsler test does as far as looking for areas of strenght and weakness. IQ tests are usually made up of several subtests that measure different things.What you're really looking for here are statistically significant Scaled Scores.Scaled Scores are not like grade levels, so dont get confused by that. On the front of the WISC test booklet, which you will not get a copy of because its a copyrighted standardized innstrument, you will see a little graph like thing with scores on it. Thats the breakdown or the "scatter" of the individual subtests. This is where you'll find the raw data that shows cognitive strenghts and weaknesses.Remember, we're not looking at determining anything other than providing clues to what child is good at or needs help with cognitively.The key to that is whether the scores are statisically significant.

On the Wechsler Scales, statistical significance is easy to see if you know where to look. Any good examiner would be glad to show you that at the parent feedback session where they go over the report, tell you the results ,and then give you your copy.

What you look for is the graph thing and the scaled scores. They are on the side of the graph and range from 1-19. Again, these aren't grade levels so don't get confused by that. Here's how it works:Scaled scores range from 1-19(lowest to highest), with a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3. ( Don't freak, this is easy). What that means is that the "average' range of Scaled Scores is 8-12, with 10 being dead average. A standard deviation of 3 means that statistically significant scores are + or - 3 from 10. Therefore 7 or below is a weakness and 13 and above is a strenght. The significance means this is not by chance.

I know that was a lot to digest but this is complicated. The main reason you want to know this stuff is because you need to know what REMEDIATION STRATEGIES (for home and school) are needed to help child with weaknesses.Most of them will not be things you can make go away but you can always try to improve.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.Take care.


mctavish23( Robert)

[Linda]

Hi Robert...I am curious..Are you a Doctor? Or perhaps you do a lot of reading? It seems like you really keep up on things.Point us to some books if you don't mind.

[mctavish23]

Hi
TY for the compliment. I appreciate it.If you haven't already noticed, I think Russell Barkley is the best researcher/author on ADHD. His ..Taking Charge of ADHD ...is my favorite book.

The other books I like are....The Parents Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder...by McCarney & Bauer(Hawthorne Press). It's the best behavior mod book I have ever seen. In addition to that I also really like Sam Goldstein...Raising Resilient Children..is one of his many good ones. Ed Hallowell "s classic..Driven to Distraction..is a must read too. You Mean I'm Not Lazy.Stupid or Crazy? by Kate kelly and Peg Ramundo is excellent as well.

The Out of Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz is a fave of mine, as is Helping Your ADD Child..by John F Taylor. I consider himto be the best alternative treatment expert there is. I forgot to mention this before in my other posts in that section, but Dr Taylor actually studied with Benjamin Feingold himself. He is a true disciple and not afraid to say so. I may not totally agree with him but I respect him tremendously.

I've been reading and researching my own ADHD since about 1988. Ive also been fortunate enough to have had some excellent teachers in the form of workshops as well.So, I've been very lucky in that sense.

Thanks again for your kind remarks.

mctavish23(Robert)

[mctavish23]

Hello again,
I wanted to finish the earlier post on the WISC-IV. As I said in that thread that the new WISC-IV no longer has Verbal & Performance (non-verbal) IQ's. .In its place are 4 Domains. Those are: VCI (Verbal Comprehension Index), PRI ( Perceptual Reasoning Index), WMI ( Working Memory Index) and PSI ( Processing Speed Index). You might remember that the WISC-III had an optional series of Index scores that were similiar if not identical, to those.

In each Domain are several subtests; some of which are new. Meanwhile some of the old regs from the WISC-III are either gone,( Picture Arrangement and Object Assembly (puzzles) or have become optional (Picture Completion and Arithmetic).

It looks like a great test and you should be seeing it in your kids assessments soon. Take care.

mctavish23(Robert)

[bwmom]

Do you know anything about the WASI? This is the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. My son took this one recently, and scored lower than expected based on other test scores (COGAT) and performance in the classroom. All I have been able to find out about it is that it's a 30 minute test administered by a psych he has never met before-probably a recipe for a bad score with my son.

Thanks!

[mctavish23]

Hi,
The WASI is one test you don't hear too much about,not that its a bad test mind you, because all the Wechsler tests are among the best and most respected instruments availbable.It covers ages 6-89yrs. There are 2ways to give it: either with 4 subtests (30mins) or 2 subtests(15 mins).

The reason anyone gives a screening measure is time based. Do I really need to give the entire WISC( about 90mins)? The idea behind that is that if you do pick up on problem areas, then more testing is called for.

The WASI is tied directly to the WISC-III, in that it gives a brief Verbal IQ( VIQ), a Performance IQ (PIQ) and a Full Scale IQ (FSIQ). Now that the WISC-IV is out and in use, the WASI will have to be changed to fit that test, as it no longer gives a VIQ and PIQ.Until that happens (and it will, how long isn't known right now), then it becomes an obselete measure in the sense that the current accepted standard of practice is now the WISC-IV. That does not mean it was obsolete at the time your son was tested.Also, if the WISC-IV wasnt availbable yet(either in print or purchsed by the school systen or that psych).then its ok to use what you have. Whenever a test instrument is updated, then the examiner is ethically obligated to stop using the old one and begin using the new one. All that takes time however.

If there are special education implications involved in new test results, then the parent of the child can request an outside examiner to conduct another test battery. Keep in mind tho, that no one is going to re-administer an IQ test a kid just took due to practice effect.

Here's a great site that Im sure has probably been posted more that once in here before:

www.wrightslaw.com

www.bigsplace.com Great site if you've never been there.There is a section here devoted to each states CAP program
The list gives you the name, address, phone #, and website for the head of each states disability advocates program. I don't believe there's one for Michigan tho, but Im not positive and I dont know why that is either.

Ive never heard of the other test so it must be an educational instrument, which is an area Im not up on . One thing that is important to note is that the test conditions do have an impact on preformance. or example, if a kid has a cold that day or forgot their glasses, those need to be highlighted as having had a possible impact on results. Part of that is rapport. If there is an anxiety factor then that coould negatively impact a child's score. The best case scenario is to have a licensed clinical/child psychologist who is already working with the kid and has a good rapport to begin with, do the testing. Now that isnt going to happen in a school setting but it could for an independent eval.

I hope this helps some and I waish you and your son much luck and success. Take care.

mctavish23(Robert)

[finnmom]

Mctavis23 ;D
Quite a many ´shortener´s, so I got totally out of track; but I wonder if NEPSY is our finish shortener for that WISC-V(or was it like that?) Because I know my son was testedlike you descriped, the scale, avarage being between 7-13. My son had couple 6 or 5´s and few 14 or 15´s. They didnt give me any number´s, but the psychologist told that ds is higly intelligence in many area´s. I´ve also been wondering how so many of you know your child´s IQ.
Marja

[mctavish23]

Hi,

I don't know what the NEPSY is. My belief is that the Wechsler Scales are called that the world over. I don't know, however, if it has been translated into other languages except for Spanish, which is scheduled to be out in 2005. Somehow I doubt that it has., but I clearly don't know for sure.

I think its cool that there are so many international members here. Our part of the world (N Minn : Mesaba Iron Range) was settled by a wide variety of iron miners from different countries; with the Finnish being the largest group. There are many older people here who have English as a second language, however, their numbers are dwindling over time.

Thanks for the reply.Take care.

mctavish23(Robert)

[AustinsMom]

The NEPSY is a neuropsych battery just for children. I don't know exactly what the letters stand for, but I know it has subtests that measure phonemic awareness, comprehension of instructions, speeded naming, verbal fluency, design copy to name a few.

[mctavish23]

Great. TY. I'll look it up and try and learn more about it.I appreciate the feedback. There are so many testing instruments out there today that it would be close to impossible ( as well as expensive ) for individual psychologists to have/buy them all. I'm interested in this one now, as it's obviously given in Finland too.

Thanks again.Take care.

mctavish23(Robert)